Horrible BMW 520d Ownership Experience

. This is a discussion on Horrible BMW 520d Ownership Experience within Indian Auto Sector. Part of The Auto Talk category; Hey Guys,
I purchased a BMW 520d from Navnit Motors, Andheri, Mumbai, on 5th Jan 2013.
The Car is now ...

My ownership experience has been utterly miserable and would like to share it with you all.

List of problems:

1> Within three weeks of ownership, the car developed a cracking noise from its suspension. Upon complaining, BMW acknowledged that it was a "faulty suspension" and hence replaced it.

2> Within 1.5 months, the car remotes started acting up! All of a sudden, both remotes would completely refuse to work. At times the car would just not unlock. Even if I used the manual key to unlock it, the engine would refuse to start. Upon being left alone for a couple of days, they would start working again. It reached a point where, every time I approached my car, I would pray in my mind, "God, I hope it starts"! Upon complaining several times, BMW Service centre repaired it.

3> Around mid May, the brakes of the car started making some weird noise. The car was sent to the service centre and they repaired it.

4> NOW THE NIGHTMARE. The car came back from Navnit motors service centre on around 22nd may, after brakes problem got sorted. THAT NIGHT I TOOK THE CAR FOR A SPIN WITH MY WIFE AND ANOTHER COUPLE. I WAS ON THE BANDRA WORLI SEA LINK (LONG OPEN STRETCH OF ROAD), AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE BRAKES FAILED!!! A MSG CAME ON THE SCREEN SAYING “LOW OIL PRESSURE, BRAKES COMPROMISED (OR SO)”. NEEDLESS TO SAY, WE WERE AT A HIGH SPEED. THE BRAKES WERE BARELY WORKING AT 10% OF THEIR ACTUAL STRENGTH. FORTUNATELY, THE ROAD AHEAD WAS CLEAR SO I HAD AMPLE TIME TO STOP THE CAR. I DROVE MY CAR BACK HOME AT CRAWLING SPEED, WITH ALL FOUR OF US IN THE CAR THANKING OUR STARS THAT WE ARE STILL ALIVE!

The next day, I called up Navnit BMW, and got my car towed back.
They took about 3 days to respond with what had actually gone wrong with the car.

Their reply was that THERE WAS A FAULT IN THE ENGINE, AND SO THE ENTIRE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED. THEY SAID THE ENGINE HAD TO BE IMPORTED FROM GERMANY AND SO IT WOULD TAKE A FEW DAYS, AND SO THEY GAVE ME A LOANER CAR TO BE USED IN THE MEANTIME.

THEY TOOK 50 DAYS (FIFTY!!!) to return back my car.

During all this time, I wrote several times to BMW India as well as BMW Germany, saying that BMW should accept their moral responsibility, and acknowledge that they have given me a FAULTY car, and hence not just replace my engine but REPLACE THE CAR INSTEAD!!!

But all my letters fell to deaf ears and the only response I got from either of them was to have patience.

50 days!!! Seriously! BMW thinks they can take people for a royal ride.
In those days, two of my EMIs have gone through! Imagine paying for a car that you cant even see around you!

In none of my letters did I ask BMW for any sort of monetary compensation. All that I wanted was something that I paid for! A reliable high quality product! I guess I was asking for too much from BMW.

After all the ordeal I faced with the car, after putting my and my families life to risk, after making me wait agonizingly for 50 days for my car to come back, after making me pay two EMIs for a car that is lying in BMW garage, all they did was leave me with no choice but to accept my car back. As a good will gesture, they offered me dvd screens for the back seats, which I really am not at all interested in and hope they take it back!!!! Aah, and free door mats. I think that’s what BMW thinks of Indian customers. I am sure if all this happened in Europe or US, BMW would have to shell out a lot as compensation. But here in India, they think the can dump their faulty products and simply get away with it!

If that’s not the case, then WHY WAS I GIVEN A CAR WITH A FAULTY SUSPENSION, FAULTY BRAKES, FAULTY ENGINE, FAULTY REMOTES???

No answers from them, just kept asking me to have patience!

I was promised, in writing and orally by BMW CRMs from western region as well as all India, that the car, after being repaired, will be thoroughly tested and will be fault free. So much so that, one of them even said, “I will resign if there is any other fault in your car!”

The car was delivered to my place two days back. At first, I didn’t know how to relate to the car, but with a heavy heart I thought lets move on.

The VERY NEXT DAY, I REALISED, THE USB PORT IS NO LONGER WORKING.

GOD DAMN IT! This is HOW DISGUSTING BMW INDIA IS!!!

I AM COMPLETELY ASHAMED OF BUYING THIS CAR, AND AM SO SO DISGUSTED WITH MYSELF FOR MAKING THIS CHOICE!!!

I feel so CHEATED!!!!

HAVE COMPLAINED TO BMW AND THEY SAID THEY ARE SENDING THEIR STAFF TO MY PLACE TOMORROW TO “REPAIR” IT.

I hope by sharing this with you all I make you aware of the “standards” of BMW INDIA (or the lack of it)!

Every detail mentioned above is true and is documented with both, BMW and myself.

If there is any way you can help me get justice, I would be eager to know that.

It is really disgusting to go through all these ordeal after paying a bomb to BMW. Infact in India I do not understand why customer are taken for a ride .Be it automobile , food product,transportation etc. You name it.

I think you have taken all the initial steps that should be taken.
One of the things i would suggest is to post your ordeal in every automotive forums like ours.The aim should be to reach as wide an audience you can find.Also continuously mail the links to a person concerned in BMW india and BMW worldwide.
I think it is your right to get a new car .Please do not let this matter go away.Spend some time/energy to get what you should have gotten in the first place.You will be doing a huge service to indian consumers in general.

Also find some threads about ppl who were successful against manufacturers in these cases.If you cannot find them we will help you out.These will serve as a useful guide.
Do keep us updated.

Last edited by Akash; 23rd July 2013 at 08:26 PM.
Reason: Posting links of other forums is strictly prohibited. Please go through forum policies before proceeding further.

when people invest their hard earned money to buy their dream cars and when the car gets into any problem we feel disheartened. BMW is such a branded company and we shud teach them a lesson.

its better that he shud post this issue in all the forums and BMW will com to him and sort this issues ASAP.

remember there was a post in TAI, in which a guy has posted his experience with Ford Figo in a blog and the company had requested him to remove such post as this was damaging their reputation. shud b done like dis.. only then they wil learn.

Thanks guys for your support... I have posted my grievances on many sites. Hope the word spreads soon. I dont know what may be the outcome for me in this, but atleast i will be able to make more and more Indians aware of BMW Customer Service practices. We al live in a dream before buying a car like BMW, expecting it to be perfect. But when it turn out to be a nightmare, like mine, you really dont know whom to approach for help.

Thanks guys for your support... I have posted my grievances on many sites. Hope the word spreads soon. I dont know what may be the outcome for me in this, but atleast i will be able to make more and more Indians aware of BMW Customer Service practices. We al live in a dream before buying a car like BMW, expecting it to be perfect. But when it turn out to be a nightmare, like mine, you really dont know whom to approach for help.

Read your post. All sympathy to you. Pl take the matter to consumer court. It is cheap and fast.

Fight for you justice legally... also try updating on the best BMW facebook page. There are only positives on these pages and your complaint will grab a lot of attention from the members as well as BMW(these pages got a lot of attention for other cases in the past). Good luck for your fight and keep this thread updated.

Extremely sorry to hear about your experience with BMW India. Like others, I too suggest you to take up the matter to consumer court. Be it an entry level car or a premium sedan, not car manufacturer has the right to play such games with their customers. Its a really nice gesture of yours of not demanding a compensation after that brake failure, which could have turned into a serious accident if the road was not clear, but BMW India seems to have shown no gratitude for the same. On the other hand they replaced the engine of the a new car which is not acceptable at all. Go ahead and file a case.

My ownership experience has been utterly miserable and would like to share it with you all.

List of problems:

1> Within three weeks of ownership, the car developed a cracking noise from its suspension. Upon complaining, BMW acknowledged that it was a "faulty suspension" and hence replaced it.

2> Within 1.5 months, the car remotes started acting up! All of a sudden, both remotes would completely refuse to work. At times the car would just not unlock. Even if I used the manual key to unlock it, the engine would refuse to start. Upon being left alone for a couple of days, they would start working again. It reached a point where, every time I approached my car, I would pray in my mind, "God, I hope it starts"! Upon complaining several times, BMW Service centre repaired it.

3> Around mid May, the brakes of the car started making some weird noise. The car was sent to the service centre and they repaired it.

4> NOW THE NIGHTMARE. The car came back from Navnit motors service centre on around 22nd may, after brakes problem got sorted. THAT NIGHT I TOOK THE CAR FOR A SPIN WITH MY WIFE AND ANOTHER COUPLE. I WAS ON THE BANDRA WORLI SEA LINK (LONG OPEN STRETCH OF ROAD), AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE BRAKES FAILED!!! A MSG CAME ON THE SCREEN SAYING “LOW OIL PRESSURE, BRAKES COMPROMISED (OR SO)”. NEEDLESS TO SAY, WE WERE AT A HIGH SPEED. THE BRAKES WERE BARELY WORKING AT 10% OF THEIR ACTUAL STRENGTH. FORTUNATELY, THE ROAD AHEAD WAS CLEAR SO I HAD AMPLE TIME TO STOP THE CAR. I DROVE MY CAR BACK HOME AT CRAWLING SPEED, WITH ALL FOUR OF US IN THE CAR THANKING OUR STARS THAT WE ARE STILL ALIVE!

The next day, I called up Navnit BMW, and got my car towed back.
They took about 3 days to respond with what had actually gone wrong with the car.

Their reply was that THERE WAS A FAULT IN THE ENGINE, AND SO THE ENTIRE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED. THEY SAID THE ENGINE HAD TO BE IMPORTED FROM GERMANY AND SO IT WOULD TAKE A FEW DAYS, AND SO THEY GAVE ME A LOANER CAR TO BE USED IN THE MEANTIME.

THEY TOOK 50 DAYS (FIFTY!!!) to return back my car.

During all this time, I wrote several times to BMW India as well as BMW Germany, saying that BMW should accept their moral responsibility, and acknowledge that they have given me a FAULTY car, and hence not just replace my engine but REPLACE THE CAR INSTEAD!!!

But all my letters fell to deaf ears and the only response I got from either of them was to have patience.

50 days!!! Seriously! BMW thinks they can take people for a royal ride.
In those days, two of my EMIs have gone through! Imagine paying for a car that you cant even see around you!

In none of my letters did I ask BMW for any sort of monetary compensation. All that I wanted was something that I paid for! A reliable high quality product! I guess I was asking for too much from BMW.

After all the ordeal I faced with the car, after putting my and my families life to risk, after making me wait agonizingly for 50 days for my car to come back, after making me pay two EMIs for a car that is lying in BMW garage, all they did was leave me with no choice but to accept my car back. As a good will gesture, they offered me dvd screens for the back seats, which I really am not at all interested in and hope they take it back!!!! Aah, and free door mats. I think that’s what BMW thinks of Indian customers. I am sure if all this happened in Europe or US, BMW would have to shell out a lot as compensation. But here in India, they think the can dump their faulty products and simply get away with it!

If that’s not the case, then WHY WAS I GIVEN A CAR WITH A FAULTY SUSPENSION, FAULTY BRAKES, FAULTY ENGINE, FAULTY REMOTES???

No answers from them, just kept asking me to have patience!

I was promised, in writing and orally by BMW CRMs from western region as well as all India, that the car, after being repaired, will be thoroughly tested and will be fault free. So much so that, one of them even said, “I will resign if there is any other fault in your car!”

The car was delivered to my place two days back. At first, I didn’t know how to relate to the car, but with a heavy heart I thought lets move on.

The VERY NEXT DAY, I REALISED, THE USB PORT IS NO LONGER WORKING.

GOD DAMN IT! This is HOW DISGUSTING BMW INDIA IS!!!

I AM COMPLETELY ASHAMED OF BUYING THIS CAR, AND AM SO SO DISGUSTED WITH MYSELF FOR MAKING THIS CHOICE!!!

I feel so CHEATED!!!!

HAVE COMPLAINED TO BMW AND THEY SAID THEY ARE SENDING THEIR STAFF TO MY PLACE TOMORROW TO “REPAIR” IT.

I hope by sharing this with you all I make you aware of the “standards” of BMW INDIA (or the lack of it)!

Every detail mentioned above is true and is documented with both, BMW and myself.

If there is any way you can help me get justice, I would be eager to know that.

Going to a consumer court is much much easier said than done.It should be kept as a last resort option
Here's a very very useful article i found which will surely help you out-

Even in the most controlled production environments of modern car manufacturers, some cars inevitably come out as defective. What can you do if your car is part of this 1% - a problematic lemon?

Preparation:
Remember that you can win if your case is genuine and you have your facts straight: Indian consumer courts are on your side.
Complete documentation is a must. Your records should include each and every service station visit, any work carried out and all problems acknowledged. If you are missing documentation, get duplicate copies from your service station before proceeding with your case. Do not ever part with your original documents.
At every stage of the negotiation, demonstrate that you are well prepared and that you have the time and inclination to pursue your case. Manufacturers have dedicated legal departments, some of whom believe that customers just don’t have the time to dedicate to these long proceedings.
Verbal promises are worthless. If the manufacturer or dealership commits to anything, have them put it in writing.
If you car is within the original warranty period, your case will be much stronger.
Do not give the dealership or manufacturer too many opportunities to repair your car. A handful of visits are enough for them to diagnose and eliminate a functioning car’s problems. If there is no end to problems surfacing, it is better for you to consider alternative action.
Before you start negotiations, decide what is a reasonable resolution. If there are some defective parts, it should be reasonable to demand their replacement. A free extended warranty period is a good solution for cars that are only slightly problematic, but if you are convinced that your car is beyond repair push only for refund or replacement.
Some settlements include refunding the original cost of the car, but deducting an amount per kilometer driven. If the amount is reasonable, accept it.
Unfortunately, there is not much you can do if you bought your car used. If you have purchased your car through authorised certification programs, you may have some albeit limited protection.Stage One: Negotiation
Keep the legal option as a last resort. A significant amount of time and effort go into court cases and there is a chance that the manufacturer or dealership will offer an appropriate resolution before going that far.
Try to negotiate with your dealership or manufacturer first. Speak respectfully, but firmly: yelling won’t get you anywhere. Leave a copy of your history of problems and service reports with them. Do not let them leave you waiting; always insist on a timeline for the next step and if they promise to get back to you, ask for a deadline. If they are going to send you a document, ask them when you should expect it. It is your job to keep them to their deadlines. At this stage, the dealership or manufacturer will try to gauge how serious you are about solving the problem.Stage Two: Publicity

If there is one thing a business hates most, it’s bad publicity. If all relevant parties have not agreed to offer you a solution in stage one, use the media to your advantage.
Publicize. Draft a well-written and easy-to-read summary of your problems and include your service records as proof. Post these on forums and on review sites like MouthShut.com. Get in touch with the help desk of AutocarIndia magazine (a subscriber-only service) and forward them your details. The people there are very cooperative and take on cases like this every month.
Evening publications like Mid-Day love this sort of news. Get in touch with them and push for coverage.
It's fun and useful to send the manufacturer or dealership every link and article. Show them what an angry consumer can do.Stage Three: Litigate

A majority of the cases that were pursued properly were resolved by this point in the process. If your manufacturer or dealership is still stubbornly refusing to budge, approach the ICRPC (Preparing and Filing Consumer Complaint at Consumer Court in India)
or other consumer right activists; there are several non-profit consumer rights groups that will be eager to help you out. These organizations charge a nominal fee and operate out of a sense of social responsibility rather than profit. Do not make the mistake of appointing your usual business lawyer: choose only a consumer-rights specialist. There are many documents to be prepared, but leave them to your lawyer.
Other advantages on your side are that the courts are now very pro-consumer and that manufacturers hate the bad publicity that comes from legal proceedings. Don’t give up: if you fight for your rights, justice will surely prevail!

And do keep us updated

( mods i hope it is OK to post this appropriately edited article,if found against forum rules please delete it )